TALKS AT A STANDSTILL IN MOSCOW AND BERLIN WHILE BLOCKADE CONTINUES

Grey River Argus, 10 September 1948, Page 5

TALKS AT A STANDSTILL IN MOSCOW AND BERLIN WHILE BLOCKADE CONTINUES

(Received September 9, at ,9.35 p.m.) LONDON, September 9. The efforts by the Four Military Governors in - Germany to find a solution of the Berlin blockade and the related problems have come to a standstill. It was, however, emphasised in London on Wednesday night that the talks have not completely broken down. There merely has been a pause to enable the Four Governments to “take stock,’’ it was added. The diplomatic correspondent of “The Times” says: “There is likely to be a new approach to Moscow by the Western Powers before the talks are continued.

Berlin Talks At Standstill as Well As Moscow Talks (Rec. 10.30). LONDON, Sept. 9. The Daily Telegraph’s diplomatic correspondent says that Mr Bevin will to-day study General Sir Brian Robertson’s report on the position in Berlin, following on the suspension of the talks on Berlin currency among the Military Governors, and also his report on Communist-inspired disorders in Berlin. Official London quarters say that the Governors’ talks have not broken down. They say that agreement has been reached on certain points, but it has not been achieved on other points which are considered vital. The Daily Telegraph’s Berlin correspondent says: The British authorities in Germany are by no means counting on an early lifting of the Berlin blockade. General , Robertson has issued orders not only to maintain the present air-lift into the Gatow airport, but to increase it. At present the British and American consignments of food and coal for Berlin are totalling three thousand tons daily, but this will not be sufficient to keep Berlin’s Western sectors functioning during the winter, when the industrial and civilian heeds will increase. British Airlift For Berlin (Rec. 9.30). BERLIN, Sept. 9. British aircraft between August 30 and September 6 flew into Berlin 7,206 metric tons of, supplies, including 3,664 tons of coal. They flew out of Berlin 169 metric tons of German industrial freight, and 141 metric tons of German mail. Envoys at Moscow Will Soon Have to Return (Roc. 10.20) LONDON, Sept. 9 Informed Western quarters say that the three Western envoys at Moscow probably will ask for a new appointment with the Kremlin within the next few days to discuss the Berlin .situation. ’ Reuter’s Moscow correspondent says: It is believed in these quarters that in the next talks the envoys will discuss the Berlin impasse and. will emphasise that at the last Kremlin meeting the understanding was that the Military Governors would work out details of a Berlin currency agreement, of a re-opening o ftransport, and of other points already agreed on in principle in the Moscow talks. It is believed that neither Mr Roberts (Britain) nor General Bedell Smith (U.S.A.) is prepared to stay in Moscow more than another ten days. Mr Roberts has to join the Rt. Hon. E. Bevin (British Foreign Secretary) for the United Nations’ Assembly in Paris and General Bedell Smith has his case packed and is ready to leave. Protests at Russian Arrests of Berlin Police LONDON, September 9. A member of the Berlin City. Assembly, when it met in the British sector, said that the Soviet commandant, General Kotikov, nad broken his word. The speaker supported a resolution protesting against the arrest of Western sector police. “We regret that in the future we shan’t believe the general”, he said. The American commandant in Berlin, Colonel Howley, went to the Soviet Military Government headquarters to-day to protest about the events of the past three days. The French authorities also protested to the Russians against the arrest of Western sector police from a French Army lorry to-day. A French spokesman said that tne French authorities had asked tne Russians to intervene with the Soviet sector police to release the anested m The British Military Government announced that from September -10 it would not allow public meetings in that part of the Berlin sector adiacent to the Russian sector, because the Soviet police had shown they could not maintain order. However, a meeting organised for to-morrow by the city’s three Western parties would take place as scheduled in front of the Reichstag, “but precautions would be taken”. Meanwhile snecial four-Power subcommittees on transport and finance held separate meetings. Reuter’s diplomatic correspondent says it is' stated in London that there will be a pause in the Berlin discussions while the respective Governments consider the Military Governors’ reports. Soviet Terror In Eastern Germany WHOLESALE ABDUCTIONS, RAPE AND TORTURE LONDON, September 8. The German Socialist Party alleges wholesale abductions, rape and torture in the Russian zone of Germany. At a press conference in Berlin today, the party supported the charges of a Russian terror campaign in East Germany with a 99-page memorandum listing hundreds of names of victims, and citing case histories, The report claims the abductions are continuing. _______

Russian Refusal Jo Request Release Of West Sector Police (Rec. 9.30). LONDON, Sept. 9. The Soviet Deputy Governor of Berlin, General Dratvin, has informed the French Deputy Governor of General Noiret, that he would not accept the request of General Noiret for intervention with the Soviet sector police for the release of the Western sector policemen,, whom the latter arrested at the City Hall. General Dratvin said that such requests must be settled with the German authorities themselves. U.S. Protest at Arrests Of Policemen Rejected By Soviet Commandant (Rec. 10.35). LONDON, Sept. 9. The commandant in the Soviet sector of Berlin, General Kotikov, has rejected the protest of the commandant in the American sector, Colonel Howley, against the detention of Western sector policemen who were arrested by the Russians in and near the City Hall of Berlin during the last few days. In a letter to Colonel Howley, General Kotikov bluntly told the American authorities not to interfere with affairs “for which they are not competent”. Colonel Howley also protested against the alleged mishandling of American officers and newspaper correspondents during, the City Hall disorders. U.S. Authorities Criticised By Soviet Officer (Rec. 11.10). LONDON, Sept. 9. General Kotikov in his letter to Colonel Howley, declared that the American authorities in the Berlin Citv Hall had acted improperly. He said: “Instead of trying to restore order they deliberately offered protection to provocatuers.” General Kotikov added that he was surprised that the American authorities had tried to defend the actions of t b* e Berlin City Administration. He' said the Administration had shown itself incapable of fulfilling the just demands of the Berlin population. Communists Want To Rule Berlin, Says Marshall “MUST BE FIRMLY RESISTED” 1 (Rec. 10.5). WASHINGTON, Sept. 9. In Washington, the U.S. Secretary of State, General Marshall, said that the current Berlin disturbances .were incited by Communists, both inside and outside of Germany, so as to establish a Communist-controlled Government, and “they must be firmly resisted”. General Marshall added that these incidents were not helpful to the Four-Power attempts to reach a general Berlin settlement, and he said that America would not negotiate under duress, although conferences with the Soviet were still proceeding. “It was our hope that everything would be done in a quiet and peaceful atmosphere”, he stated, “but the reverse has been the case. The Social Union Party is putting into practice the methods that have been employed by the Communist groups to bring about the disruption of democratic government, and to develop, instead, Communist-dominated government”. General Marshall added that the United States still supported the Berlin City Council, which he commended for restraint shown.' NX Air Crews Going To Help in Berlin Supply Service P.A. WELLINGTON, Sept. 9 Rt. Hon. P. Fraser said to-night that advice has been received from the United Kingdom Government that air crews are still required for the Berlin air lift, and appreciation is expressed for the offer made by the New Zealand Government in these circumstances. Arrangements are being made for three Dakota air crews to leave New Zealand for the United Kingdom at the earliest possible moment.

Bismark’s Great-Grandson To be Tried in American Zone • (Rec.. 10.0). LONDON, Sept. 9. The United States Army Headquarters announced that they have held in custody for the past three months, Heinrich Einsiedel, Bismarck’s great-grandson, says the British Unite'd Press Frankfurt correspondent. Einsiedel will be tried on charges of unauthorised activity in the United States zone, and possibly espionage. The Russians in Berlin previously alleged that Einsiedel,. who writes for the official Russian newspaper, Taegliche Rundschau, was kidnapped when visiting Wiesbaden in May.